Warriors Don't Cry DISCONTINUED
by SunlightOnTheWater
Summary: Pre Series. Gilan had no idea what he was getting into when he stopped a pickpocket from stealing part of his wages. Ally didn't know what was going to happen when she came to the rescue of her brother. Trouble just kept coming from that point on. Discontinued. Being rewritten and reposted
1. Prelude: What Hurts the Most

_Author's Note:_ First of all reviews and any suggestions are welcomed so kudos to all who bother. Secondly each chapter title is going to be the title of a song so good luck guessing what the artist is. You can message me your answers or submit them with your review. The ones who get it right will be mentioned at the beginning of the following chapter and on my profile so guess away. Finally I do not own Ranger's Apprentice. Enjoy! SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Training as an archer had prepared Allanah for a lot of things but dragging her eight year old brother William and her five year old brother Jonathan out of Celtica alone was one of the things her training hadn't prepared her for. Her bow buried in her pack Allanah pulled Will after her while carrying a whimpering Jon. Fire rose from their old home behind them and somewhere behind them there was a scream of pain. Will whimpered and fell to the ground, covering his ears and sobbing as more screams rose op. Celtica was a savage place and Ally knew if her brother was to survive he would have to be strong. Almost impassively she pulled his hands away from his ears. "Will look at me," she said. He looked up, his mint green eyes watery with pain and tears. "You have to be strong so some day you can be a knight and kick Amherst out of our land." He nodded and stood, clutching her hand.<p>

Allanah led him deeper into the woods hoping the entire time that they were not being followed. Later as the sun was beginning to rise she allowed herself to make camp and allow Will and Jon to sleep. They both cried and tossed restlessly in their sleep as Ally watched them. No tears slipped down her cheeks and none would escape. After all she was the daughter of Haelon of Celtica and trained by Eiji, famous archer of the Arridi. Warriors didn't cry so neither did Allanah.

Even though she was exhausted by lack of sleep she woke Will and Jon two hours after sunrise and they continued on their way. The twelve year old girl had pulled her hair up and hidden it under the hood of a worn brown cloak so she looked like a boy. It was a good disguise and it got them out of Celtica and into Araluen. Only then did Allanah allow herself to rest for the first time in a little over seventy-two hours. The exhausted girl slept deeply and the trio rested for an entire day in the woods before moving on farther into Araluen. After around a month of wary and tiring travel by foot they finally settled in Redmont Fife hoping they could blend in inside the large town. They didn't realize that fate was out to prove them wrong.


	2. Chapter 1: Confession

_Author's Note:_ Thank you, thank you, thank you to _Luvergirlofbooks_ who reviewed (Your review made my day). The son for last chapter was "What Hurts The Most" by Rascal Flats. Good luck on guessing this one and please oh please review! SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Gilan made his way through the crowded city looking for Halt. His old master had promised to meet him somewhere in the city and it was Gilan's job to find him. He spotted Halt talking to Sir Rodney, the Battlemaster of Redmont when he felt his beltpurse suddenly be pulled nimbly from his belt. Automatically he grabbed the offending hand in a tight grip. It was a boy of four or five with sandy blonde hair and wide hazel eyes. For a moment there was an air of stunned surprise on his face but then he opened his mouth and let out a wail. Gilan winced and glanced imploringly at Rodney and Halt. That was why he didn't see the other figure slide over to him. In fact he didn't notice the newcomer until he was punched sharply in the jaw and a cold voice told him, "Let go of my brother."<p>

Gilan let go of the younger boy, startled and spun to face the figure who had attacked him. He caught a glimpse of a dark brown hood before the figure tried to fade back into the crowd. Gilan wasn't going to have any of that. He grabbed the small figure's wrists and pinned the small figure against the wall. Most of the traffic had cleared out, unwilling to get into what seemed like Ranger business and now the rest were warded off by the angry young Ranger. That left only Halt, Sir Rodney, Gilan, and his small attacker in the market. The figure's hood had fallen back revealing the same sandy blonde hair of his original pickpocket. Her eyes were a brilliant jade girl and her long hair was pinned up and out of her face. With the hood of her cloak up anyone would automatically think she was a boy. He felt a twinge of sympathy for her just before her booted foot connected to his shin.

Gilan hissed in pain and tightened his grip on her wrists. She struggled, eyes wild with anger and fear, but she was still young and no match to the nineteen year old Ranger's strength and training. She aimed another kick at Gilan's shin but this time he was ready and twisted out of the way. She slipped and her head slammed against the wall as she tried to correct her balance. She let out a yelp of pain and then bit her lip sharply as if to shut off any other protests. Gilan heard a snort of contempt and looked over his shoulder knowing that neither Halt nor Sir Rodney would have acted like that. It was a merchant who had decided to come back to see what was going on and if anyone had touched his precious wares. "Someone finally caught one of the Celt brats running through here," the merchant sneered. "Not so cocky now that you're caught are you eh?"

The girl glared at him and hissed, "At least my people know how to put on a pretense of manners." Her green eyes blazed with hate as the merchant lunged foreword to slap her. Before he could get there Halt grabbed him and Gilan moved so the strike would land on him instead. Despite what the young Ranger thought of thieves he didn't want to see a little girl get hurt by a sneering merchant.

The merchant tried to yank free of Halt's restraining grip but what the grizzled Ranger said next stopped him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Halt said, his eyes cold. The merchant looked at Gilan shielding the girl and then to Sir Rodney who had meaningfully placed his hand on his sword belt. Then the offensive man yanked his arm free and stalked away.

Gilan turned to his little captive in time to see that her eyes were wide with astonishment. She saw Gilan looking at her and flushed, looking down. She was still twisting her wrists though trying to get free. Gilan glanced at Halt and Sir Rodney. The knight shrugged and said, "I'll leave you two with this one." Then he lumbered off in the direction the merchant had gone in an attempt to keep the angry man from causing other problems.

Halt looked at the struggling young girl and then asked, "Are you really from Celtica?" The girl squirmed and glared at him sharply. "Well?" Halt asked, knowing that Gilan would be just about as unfazed as he himself.

"Yes," she confessed reluctantly. Her green eyes dropped and her body shifted slightly. It looked almost like she was admitting defeat so Gilan was caught by surprise when she struck Gilan in the stomach with her booted foot. The young Ranger gasped for breath, his grip on the girl loosening just enough to let her free. She yanked away from him and ran, bolting around the coner before Gilan or Halt could do anything to stop her without killing or injuring her. Gilan watched her go with a slightly bemused expression as he attempted to catch his breath.

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><p><em>And yes you'll find out what was going on completely next chapter. Remember to review and guess the song artist... You know you want to!<em>


	3. Chapter 2: On A Mission

_Author's Note:_ First off congrats to _Dodo.123_ who got the Prelude right and _Luvergirlofbooks_ who got the last chapter right. For those of you who didn't "Confession" is by Theory of a Deadman. Secondly thank you for _Dodo.123_, _Luvergirlofbooks_, and _Hope and love_ for their reviews. You guys are my sunshine on a rainy day! Next the chapter title for this one is a little hard but the genre it's from is country if that helps. Finally I don't own Ranger's Apprentice or anything you recognize from it. Enjoy-SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Once she was sure no one was following her Ally slowed her pace down to a walk and tried to look like she was on a mission for someone or even just that she belonged here. Ally knew from past experience that if she acted like she had something to do no one would pay any attention to her. It worked as usual but the lack of attention did nothing to calm her racing heart. She almost couldn't believe that she had escaped alive and unharmed. As she made her way to the hiding place she knew her two younger brothers would be sleeping at. It was late afternoon and after the day's events she knew they would be tired and that Jon would be weepy and upset.<p>

"Ally," Jon cried and flung his arms around her as she came into their hideout. "Sorry, so sorry. Never do it again," he half sobbed against her shoulder.

"Sorry," Will apologized from behind the half hysterical Jon. "I should have stayed closer to him."

"You both have nothing to apologize for," Ally said, soothing Jon. "Finish the apples and then get some rest. It's been a long day." The two nodded and then finished the apples before curling up together and drifting off into sleep.

Silently Ally considered the events of the day. The morning had gone as it normally had with Allanah struggling to find any kind of work that could bring in the money needed to feed her two younger brothers without stealing. Once a proud member of the Celtica nobility Allanah hated the idea of stealing from anyone. It just about made her sick. Still she would steal if she had to. Ally would do anything to keep her brothers safe and well fed.

Late into the afternoon Ally had been forced to admit that there was no work available. That left her with one option; stealing. First she had wanted to get her brothers back to their hiding place so they wouldn't be influenced by her actions. She had thought neither knew what she was doing; she had been wrong. She was stunned when she saw soon to be six Jonathan lift the beltpurse from the Ranger. When he had started to wail however Allanah had acted. When Tuscano had arrived Allanah had thought that the young Ranger would allow the sneering merchant to slap her. When the other Ranger had moved to stop Tuscano the one holding her captive had shielded her. Ally's brain was still reeling from that action. Still she had reacted appropriately, appropriately meaning how Eiji had taught her, and escaped.

With a sigh Allanah looked at the beltpurse her brother had stolen. She lifted it and glanced inside, taking out only a few coins and laying them beside Will. She didn't know who the young Ranger had been the older one was well know in these parts and just about everywhere; Halt. Allanah knew someone who claimed to know where the Ranger lived. Presumably he would know where to find the younger one. With the purse in hand she slipped out of their hiding spot and on her way to find Halt.

Gilan was sitting in the small cabin Halt lived in drinking coffee in silence as he contemplated the day. "Gilan," Halt said.

"Yes?" Gilan asked, looking up at his former master.

"That was good work today?" Halt said gruffly. For a moment Gilan thought he had heard the old Ranger wrong.

"What do you mean?" Gilan asked.

"I saw you shielding the girl when that merchant went to hit her. It was good work," Halt said. Gilan nodded contemplatively and took a drink of his coffee. Halt wasn't one to praise lightly and Gilan took his former master's words to heart.

A loud thump came from the door and Gilan jumped, some of his coffee sloshing onto his shirt. Halt stood up and calmly walked to the door as Gilan nursed his coffee burned fingers. A moment later Halt came back and dropped something on the table. Gilan stared at it in shock; it was his money pouch that had been lifted early. He glanced questioningly at Halt but the Ranger ignored him. "Halt," Gilan said and the older man grunted. "Where did you find this?"

"Someone threw it at the door," Halt said. "I guess your unlikely pickpocket decided to return it." Gilan nodded and went back to drinking his coffee. A moment later he became aware that Halt was watching him.

"Yes?" Gilan asked.

"See what's missing," Halt ordered.

"Why?" the younger Ranger asked, thoroughly bemused.

"Because if we see how much is missing we'll know when this girl will show up again," Halt explained irritably. "Besides I want to talk to her." Gilan nodded and opened up the pouch.

A moment later he looked up and said, "There's maybe enough for a day for one person but if that younger bpy was truely her brother like she said earlier it won't last that long."

Halt nodded, taking everything in stride. "I'll spread her description around and have someone come get us when she shows up," he said. Gilan nodded, content to let the older Ranger plan things for now.


	4. Chapter 3: Be Prepared

_Author's Note:_ First thank you to _Hope and love _and _Dodo.123_ for reviewing and making my day sunny even though it's raining :)! Secondly "On A Mission" is by Trick Pony. Thirdly this day's chapter title is a song from a Disney movie and finally I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. Enjoy and please review (or continue to review)~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>The next morning a young boy of about ten came to get Halt and Gilan. Both were practicing their bow work when the boy raced over, gasping for breath. "Which one of you is the Ranger Halt?" he asked.<p>

"I am," Halt said gruffly. "What do you need boy?"

"The girl you asked about yesterday is talking to my master," the apprentice said.

"Where at?" Halt asked.

"Main square," the boy panted out. "Hurry or she'll be gone."

The two Rangers nodded and mounted their respective horses, Abelard and Blaze. The two rode off leaving a proud but panting apprentice to make his way back to his master's shop. They were making their way down a narrow alleyway that led to the city square when a figure came flying by them. The small figure dodged Halt but when Gilan attempted to block her way she drew a knife from somewhere under her cloak. Gilan acted in instinct, striking her hand and sending the knife spinning away from her. The girl tried to wriggle by him but he pinned her against the wall to keep her from running. She kicked him in the shin and that was when Gilan knew for sure who she was. "Hello again," he said casually and she looked up at him, her green eyes spitting fire.

"You again," she hissed, eyes wide as she struggled, trying to break free. Her foot lashed out again and Gilan winced. He was going to have a purple bruise on his shin to go with the yellowish one on his sore jaw. He dodged the next kick, his mind contemplating how to get her to stop kicking him.

"You're leaving quite a bruise there," he told her and she glared at him. Obviously the girl felt no sympathy for him whatsoever.

"If you don't want a larger bruise then let go," she demanded but Gilan shook his head.

"Sorry but I don't want to run after you again," Gilan said congenially. He really didn't fancy chasing after an eleven or twelve year old girl through the city streets just to talk and if he released her that was exactly what would happen. She glared at him darkly and Gilan knew he had hit home.

"What do you want?" she asked sourly, looking at Gilan, but it was Halt who answered.

"We want to talk." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Everyone wants to talk so talk and be done with it but not to me." There was a strange rhythm to her speaking that almost sounded like the way nobility spoke but Gilan pushed it out of his mind. Her words were dry and he had to fight not to smile.

"Let me revise that," Halt said coolly. "We need to talk to you." The girl sighed heavily and tried to twist her wrists free.

When it didn't work she glared sullenly at Gilan and said, "Let go of me then."

"I already told you why that isn't a good idea," Gilan said with an easy smile. She gave him a look that would been enough to freeze a careless or stupid man in his tracks. Luckily Gilan was neither. He glanced at her eyes and saw irritation and curiosity warring inside her eyes as she looked at him. "What?" he asked her and she closed her eyes for a minute.

"How did you know I had a knife?" she asked.

Gilan smiled again. He had expected the question and knew the answer would only serve to irritate her. Still he decided to answer her anyway. "I didn't," Gilan said. "I was just prepared from my training to deal with almost anything life has in store for me."

"Be prepared huh?" she asked with a slim smile. "Kind of like a Ranger's motto?" Gilan laughed while Halt sighed despairingly.

"What is with children and coming up with mottos?" he asked no one in particular.

"Why do adults tend to talk to the sky when they know they won't get an answer?" the girl retorted and Halt turned a mild glare on her. She shrank back slightly and his expression softened somewhat.

"We just want to talk," Gilan said in an attempt to reassure her.

"Then talk quickly," she snapped. "I haven't got all day and if you didn't notice money makes the world go round."

"How about this," Gilan suggested. "You know where Halt lives so come there tonight and we'll talk then."

"Fine," she said with a sigh. "I'll be there at sunset."

"If you don't show we'll track you down," Halt warned but she simply rolled her eyes and nodded. Gilan released her and they both watched as she faded into the crowd.


	5. Chp 4: These Boots Are Made For Walkin

_Author's Note:_ First congrats to _Dodo.123 _and _Luvergirlofbooks_ for guessing the correct movie. For those of you who didn't "Be Prepared" is from the Lion King and yes Elton John is the artist. Secondly thanks to _Dodo.123, Luvergirlofbooks, _and _Hope and love_ for reviewing and making my day bright. This chapter's title is from an oldie but goodie so I hope you enjoy. The main plot is going to start arising now too. Finally I don't own Ranger's Apprentice and this story is just for fun. Enjoy and review~ SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Ally had seen a lot in the months coming to Redmont from Celtica but never had she been quite as jumbled as now. Her mind was trying to process the morning's events as she found her way to a place where she knew she could get work. "Hey 'llanah," Ian called as she neared the horse pens. When Ian was in market he always held out on hiring an assistant because he had decided she was the best or at least the most experienced. The second part was probably right. Ally had grown up around horses and the animals instinctively trusted her.<p>

"Hello Ian," Ally said calmly but she was grinning. Ian was grinning too, his wide jaw splitting smile. Ian was in his late forties with blond hair turning silver grey and laugh lines around his slightly wrinkled face. He had a limp from having his knee broken by a wild horse and he was a little bit on the portly side. Of all the people Allanah had worked for he was probably the nicest.

"You come to help?" Ian asked and Allanah nodded. "Head on in to the pen then and familiarize yourself with'em," Ian said with a wide smile. "I have a customer coming today and I want you to recommend one." Ally nodded and got to work.

Most the horses were ordinary and almost all that Ian had were good tempered. "You have a good bunch this time," Ally told him and Ian grinned, pleased. Ian customer came and Ally fitted the young battleschool apprentice with a well tempered horse. She helped Ian with the rest of the sales and then cleaned the rest of the horses as afternoon faded into evening. In all her time in a drafty castle and walking from Celtica to Araluen and then deeper into Araluen in her well worn brown boots Ally had never been as happy as she was helping Ian with the horses.

She glanced up at the sky and sighed. If she wanted to have any hope of arriving at Halt's cabin on time she would have to leave even though she didn't want to. Ian saw the look and went into his office. He returned to pay her and say, "Come with me. I've got one I want to show you." Ally followed him into the temporary barn, curious. Once in she caught her breath in awe.

The mare was a beautiful cinnamon colored mare. "She's beautiful," Ally gasped and Ian nodded in agreement.

"That she is," Ian said. "But no one has been able to ride her." Ally shook her head and slowly approached the mare. "You want to show them how to do it or you want me to?" Ian added. He watched the two Ranger's he had summoned, Halt and Gilan, enter the yard with an amused smile. He had heard of their agreement from Ally herself over a late lunch and had called them to see the girl in her more natural environment.

"Allow me," Ally said as Ian knew she would. He watched as she swung herself up on the horse who didn't so much as twitch under her. She nudged the horse into a swift canter out of the stall, riding as smoothly as if she had always done so.

Gilan and Halt watched in barely concealed amazement as the girl cantered out on the half wild mare with Ian following her as if it was what she did every day. "Take 'er in a gallop. She needs the exercise," Ian said and the girl galloped around the compound.

"Who is she?" Gilan asked, stunned.

"She is who she is and I'll tell you now she's the darn best horsewoman I've ever seen in my life," Ian told them. "She also has two younger brothers to feed so she works for me when I'm in town." The two Rangers exchanged glances as she dismounted smoothly. She saw hem as she stroked the horse's neck and blushed. Gilan walked over to her trying to hide a grin.

"Where'd you learn to ride like that?" he asked and she smiled almost sadly.

"From a friend a long time ago," she said vaguely, taking the lead rope and leading the mare into the makeshift barn.

"Two younger brothers?" Halt asked Ian and he nodded.

"Yup," the bulky man said easily. "One's about eight and the other one's fivish. They come with 'er sometimes."

"Did they today?" Gilan asked, joining them with the girl right on his heels.

"No," she said easily, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Not today."

"There with my wife Meg," Ian explained. "She's taking care of 'em while Ally here works."

"Can she watch them a little longer?" the girl asked him, smoothly cutting into the conversation as if she had been in it since the beginning. "These two and I need to talk."

"Sure thing," Ian said easily. "Are ya comin' back tomorrow to help out again?" Allanah nodded and Ian clapped a hand on her shoulder before heading off to put the other horses away where they couldn't be stolen as easily.

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked, turning to look at them. "I promised I'd show up didn't I?"

"Ian called," Halt said shortly, not having time for wounded pride. "What's your name?"

"Allanah," she said sourly. "And that's all I'm telling you about that particular subject." Something in her tone told Gilan she wasn't pleased with the sudden change of topic.

"So Allanah of Celtica," he said easily before Halt could say something in his gruff tone again. "What brings you to Redmont?"

"Political problems," she admitted, still in a sour tone. Gilan mulled it over thing that the day was just getting more and more interesting. He was just about to ask something else when a young man soaked in sweat slammed into him.

"Oh thank heavan it's you Ranger," he gasped out. "There's been a murder two streets over and they want you there."

Gilan and Halt exchanged glances before Halt said, "Lead the way then."

"We'll find you tomorrow," Gilan called over his shoulder as they hurried after the boy.

Evan though Gilan couldn't hear what she said in response to that he almost swore she had said, "No you won't." He pushed that thought out of his mind and moved on to the more pressing current subject.


	6. Chapter 5: Brick By Boring Brick

_Author's Note:_ First congrats to _Luvergirlofbooks_ who got the last chapter correct ( "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" is by Nancy Sinatra) and thanks to _Luvergirlofbooks _and _Hope and love_ for reviewing. Enjoy as the plot thickens~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Ally had just gotten Will and Jon to sleep when Jacob, a swordsmith's apprentice she had befriended, came with bad news. "Have you heard about the murder?" he asked, out of breath.<p>

"Just that there was one. I was with the Ranger's when the news arrived," Ally told him. Jacob's face lost all color at that.

"Please tell me they don't know you're from Celtica," he pleaded but Ally was already shaking her head.

"They know. Why does it matter?" she asked.

"There was an inscription in blood on the wall of Johann the tanner's house when they found his body," Jacob explained. "It said for Celtica and for the glory of Amherst."

"Thank you Jacob," Ally said, her voice suddenly dead. "Don't look for me here again; I won't be here."

Jacob nodded and ran off into the night. Ally watched him go and then buried her head into her cloak and screamed.

The murder scene was one of the worst messes that Gilan had seen in his career as a Ranger. Blood was spilled across the floor along with what was left of the unfortunate tanner's body. Halt was looking at something on the wall of the house under the flickering light of a lantern. Gilan steeled himself for whatever grusome sight he was about to see and joined his former master. There was a rough inscription in dripping blood on the wall. Gilan froze at the words. _For Celtica and for the glory of Lord Amherst_. He glanced at Halt's face and found it was grim. "You don't think," he began but couldn't finish the thought.

"I'm not sure she did it but she probably knows what's going on," Halt said, finishing what Gilan couldn't bring himself to say.

"It could be a coincidence," Gilan offered but he didn't have much hope in the idea. He had seen Allanah fight and there was no doubt that she could kill someone to preserve her own life. They had to consider the possibility that she had arranged for this to be done.

"I don't believe in coincidences," Halt said and Gilan nodded, feeling sick. "Did you or anyone else see anyone leave here?" Halt asked, turning to the blacksmith who had found the destroyed body.

"No one saw a single person arrive or leave," the blacksmith answered tiredly. "There was no one else here when Jacob and I arrived."

"One more thing," Halt said. "Do you happen to know where to find a girl named Allanah?"

"No," the blacksmith said. "But Jacob might." He turned to look over his shoulder and called, "Jacob come over here for a minute."

A moment later a brown haired boy of about fifteen came into view. He was sweat soaked and gasping for breath but he managed a smile. "Do you know where to find Allanah?" the blacksmith asked him.

"Nope, not anymore," the boy said, finally catching his breath. There was somthing almost triumphant in his eyes that made Gilan feel a flicker of suspicion. The boy was soaked in sweat and had been obviously running, he had known Allanah, and he said he didn't know how to find her _anymore_. The pieces clicked and gave Gilan's suspicion a new level.

"You went to tell her," Gilan said. It wasn't a question and the boy nodded. "What did she say?" he asked.

"Not to look for her anymore because she wouldn't be there," Jacob said and Gilan exchanged glances with Halt. Allanah was beginning to look like a very good suspect in the murder of Johann the tanner.

"Where do you think we could find her?" Halt asked and Jacob sighed and thought for a moment.

"Possibly with Ian if he's in town," he admitted. "She works for him often enough and he trusts her." Without a word Halt turned and vanished into the shadows with Gilan right behind him. It looked like they were going to be tracking down Allanah sooner rather than later.

Ally shook Will's arm first and then Jon's. "Wake up," she told them. "Amherst's men are back and searching." They gathered there things and stumbled sleepily after her into the streets.

"Where are we going?" Will asked and Allanah managed a fond smile for him.

"You and Jon are going to Ian's house to stay with him and Meg," she told him. "I'm going after Amherst's men."

Jon was still too sleepy in Allanah's arms to register what she said but Will's eyes went wide. "You can't," he protested as she knocked on Meg and Ian's door. "They'll kill you."

"Then so be it," Ally said as Ian answered the door. She turned to the man and said, "Can you watch William and Jonathan for a few days? I have business to finish."

"Sure," Ian said, looking confused. "We always have room but what for?"

"Nothing," Ally said. "It's only something not safe for my brothers to face." Ian nodded as he ushered the boys in, Will looking at her with wide angry eyes. "One more thing," Ally said before Ian closed the door. "Can I borrow the mare that I rode earlier?"

"Yes," Ian said tiredly. "Just make sure she get s back in one piece." Then he closed the door in her face and Ally hurried to the barn while trying to keep herself together. Brick by brick she had pulled this life together and now brick by brick she was going to pull it apart or be killed.


	7. Chapter 6: Monster

_Author's Note:_ First thank you so much to _Dodo.123_ for reviewing! Secondly "Brick By Boring Brick" is by Paramore. Finally I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Ally checked her knives before remounting the cinnamon colored mare. She felt cold and lethal as she rode deeper into the now damp woods. As the night had progressed it had began to rain steadily and now everything was wet. It only made Ally's job easier but miserable as well. She found the first man a few minutes after leaving Redmont and had been stalking him for the right moment ever since then. Now the man was getting clumsy and had began to give her openings. She took one of them and threw the knife. He fell with a cry as the knife embeded itself in his side. She stalked over to him and slit his throat. She would find his partner without his help. She didn't want that kind of help. She heard footsteps behind her and took off running like a wild creature. She flew through the woods with the dead man's partner behind her as she had done before while she, Will, and Jon were on the run from Celtica. Will and Jon didn't know it but she had killed then too. None of her training had prepared her for killing but she had done it anyway to keep her brothers safe. She would be a monster, a killer, to keep Will and Jon safe and alive.<p>

Allanah spun and threw her second knife but missed. The man tackled her and down they went on the wet ground. Ally felt a sharp pain as a knife stabbed into her arm but ignored it as she slashed her attacker's throat. Blood pooled over her skin as she pushed the corpse off of her but she ignored it as she tried not to puke. She rolled to one side and passed out, unable to stand the sight of so much blood and unwilling to face how much of a monster she had become.

Gilan and Halt arrived at Ian and Meg's home when they were around Redmont too late to find Allanah. What they found instead was a hysterical Will and a completely dazed and confused Jon. The two Ranger's were ushered into the house by Ian while the sounds of an almost hysterical young man shattered through their heads. "What exactly is going on here?" Halt asked as calmly as a stone. In fact sometimes Gilan wondered if his mentor hadn't been a stone some time earlier in life.

"Will's a little upset," Meg said as she came out. "He says his sister just went out to do something stupid and something about her trying to get herself killed."

"Is Will Allanah's brother?" Gilan asked and Meg nodded. "Can we talk to him?" Gilan asked and Meg sighed.

"Good luck with that," she said. "He isn't exactly reasonable right now." She led them into the next room where her husband and two young boy were now sitting. The younger of the two was Gilan's original pickpocket with blonde hair and wide hazel eyes that eyed the older boy with something like worry. The older one was crying, tears running from his mint green eyes and down his pale cheeks. His brown hair was messy and his hands were clenched in the blanket Meg had wrapped around him. "Are you Will?" Gilan asked the distressed boy, crouching in front of him. The boy nodded , fingers still clench and eyes wide with anger and fear. "I'm Gilan," he said and Will nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "My friend is Halt, another Ranger. We're looking for your sister. Can you tell us where she might be?"

Will had been calming slightly but when Gilan mentioned Allanah he totally lost it. "She's gone and went crazy," he burst out. "Every time before that _they_ came she took us somewhere else but now she's gone after them. She's gone crazy."

"Crazy," the younger boy repeated solemnly from his perch on Ian's lap and Will turned to stare at him with an incredulous look on his face.

"You seriously did not just repeat what I said?" he asked and the younger boy smiled and giggled.

"Crazy," he repeated again contentedly. Will managed out a watery laugh and a roll of his mint green eyes.

"Will this is important," Gilan said. "Do you know where your sister might be?"

"In the woods," Will managed weakly. Gilan nodded and stood, turning to Halt.

"We'll have to try to find her," he said and Halt nodded. If Allanah had hired someone to kill the tanner she needed to be stopped and if she didn't she could be in trouble. There was no getting around it; they would have to search the dark and rainy woods.

"Wait," Will called and they both turned. "There may be armed men after her, assassins. Ally can handle a lot but she's probably going on instinct right now and if you sneak up on her she may attack you."

"Noted," Halt said coolly as he headed for the door with Gilan right behind him.

"Don't worry," Gilan called over his shoulder. "We'll find your sister." Then he had followed Halt out the door and into the rainy night. The two saddled Abelard and Blaze and headed for the woods. Some unspoken urgency pushed them on to find Allanah.

Ally came to a few moments later still coated in blood. She heard a soft set of footsteps nearby and her fingers instinctively curled around her knife. She ignored the bolt of pain from her injured arm and focused on the footsteps instead. She heard soft breathing and another set of softer footsteps. "Allanah?" a voice asked but she stayed perfectly still and kept her breathing even. "Allanah Will sent us." The words reached her before the meaning even penetrated and she made it to her feet and was lunging foreward before her brain could process anything. She didn't even bother to try. She just moved and when the hilt of a knife struck her head she sank into unconsciousness without another thought; the monster still growling with fury under her skin.


	8. Chapter 7: East to West

_Author's Note:_ First congrats to _Dodo.123 _who got the artist correct ("Monster" is by Skillet)! Also thanks to _Dodo.123 _and _Hope and love _for reviewing, you guys keep me writing! Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Even though he had been warned by Will Gilan was still shocked when Allanah had moved to attack him. Her eyes had been wild and unseeing but her movements had been strong and calculated. It had been Halt who had probably saved his life and knocked Allanah out. Now she was draped across the back of the nervous cinnamon colored mare that Gilan was leading along with Blaze on the way back to Ian and Meg's house. They arrived at the house fully soaked by sunrise. Will was the first one out the door followed by Meg. Will was already over to Allanah by the time Meg was out the door. Instead of completely losing it like Gilan had expected her was removing knives. "One, two three, four," Will counted patiently. "She's missing three."<p>

"Two," Gilan corrected numbly as he handed Will the knife Allanah had tried to stab him with. Will took it with a knowledgeable look at Gilan and headed inside while Meg shook her head.

"What in the world happened here?" she asked as she picked up Allanah and made her way inside with the two Rangers following her.

"She attacked us when we found her," Halt explained calmly as Meg laid Allanah down and put a damp towel on the girl's forehead.

"So you knocked her out?" Meg asked sourly.

"It was that or kill her," Halt said simply.

"Still she's just a girl," Meg began sourly but Will silenced her with a hand to her arm.

"Ally isn't always reasonable when she's fighting and she'd do just about anything to protect us. It isn't their fault, not completely," Will explained quietly.

"Ally?" Gilan questioned pointedly and Will managed a thin smile.

"She's always been Ally to me and Jon. Even mother called her that sometimes. Father never did though," Will said pensively. "What did you tell her?"

"That you had sent us," Halt said gruffly. "That was when she tried to take a knife to Gilan."

"Of course she did," Meg cut in sharply, still fussing over the unconscious Allanah. "She has no idea who you are and you suggest her little brother sent you. Think for once you pudding brained excuse for Rangers." Gilan openly stared at Meg. He had never heard anyone speak that way to Halt before and this short, slightly stout woman had just reduced the grizzled Ranger to a wayward teen. Allanah shifted slightly and murmured something under her breath. The tension in the room broke and Meg went back to fussing.

"Meghan leave that girl alone 'fore she wakes up and berates you somethin' awful," Ian called from the next room. With a snort Meg stood and smoothed her apron.

"Would you two like anything?" she asked in an almost apologetic manner "There's coffee and fresh rolls." When she saw them hesitate she let out an expansive sigh. "Allanah's not going anywhere with that lump on her head for a while. You might as well get something to eat; you've been out all night." Gilan and Halt followed Meg into the kitchen leaving Will alone with his sister.

William may have been only eight but he knew there was no fighter quite as odd as Ally east to west. Sometimes when she was having a bad day she called it her monster genes but on the good days it was simply her cross to bear. Will thought that monster was a good term for his sister's dark side. She was temperamental and sour when the monster was emerging and eager to pick a fight with anyone. Allanah had quite a temper and she wasn't above demonstrating it for others. Normally the results were not pretty on the other side.

Ally stirred again and opened her eyes with a quiet moan. An instant later she shot upright. "Where in heavens name am I?" she snapped, eyes sharp. Will had seen Ally like this and knew the best remedy was to indulge her until she snapped out of it.

"You're in Meg and Ian's house," he told her quietly. "The two Ranger's brought you here."

"After that knocked me out," Ally commented sourly. There was still the burning hate in Allanah's eyes and it was beginning to worry Will. Normally she became rational long before this. "Where are my daggers?" she asked.

"I took them away Ally. I didn't want to get stabbed when you woke up," Will explained evenly even though his heart was racing. He was worried about Ally, about the monster, and most of all about Amherst's men. "There were two missing," he added, hoping to trigger a memory.

"I killed both of them," Ally said, the bloodlust beginning to fade from her eyes. Then she looked at her bloody hands and Will saw reality crash down on her. "I killed both of them," she repeated hollowly.

"We're safe?" Will asked and she nodded.

"We're safe Will," she said and slowly stood, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, an almost frantic note entering his voice. She couldn't leave now. She had said it was safe.

"Just outside Will," she said with a thin but reassuring smile. "I need to think and I need the fresh air." Will nodded and watched her head around back to the barn. His sister was back and she said they were safe. Will knew one thing for certain; there may not have been any fighter east or west like Allanah but there was never one that faced her guilt and self-depreciation afterwards either.


	9. Chapter 8: Leave The Pieces

_Author's Note:_ First I want to say congrats to _Luvergirlofbooks_ who got the last chapter's artist correct ("East to West" is by Casting Crowns). Secondly I want to say thank you to _Dodo.123_, _Hope and love_, _Luvergirlofbooks_, and _Morningglory0509_ for reviewing. Also a very special thanks to _Morningglory0509_ who pointed out some inconsistencies and gave me some good advice. Thirdly sorry for how long it took to get this chapter out ( it was harder to write than I had expected) and finally I do not own Ranger's Apprentice. Enjoy and review or continue to review~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Allanah buried her head in the empty feed sack and screamed until she couldn't come up with anymore air. When she lifted her head up tears were already streaking down her face. Curse killing, curse her, and curse that idiotic Amherst who insisted on sending stupid men to be killed by her. The monster was gone into hiding now and all she was left with was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and empty tears for lives lost. Maybe they weren't needlessly killed on her part but she still hated killing. Eiji hadn't prepared her for that but maybe it was because you couldn't prepare someone to kill. It made Allanah sick.<p>

She took several deep breaths and tried to rationalize. Amherst's men were dead so for a time she, Will, and Jon were safe. Their deaths had been necessary even though it had been a waste of life on Amherst's part. Not her problem.

She convinced herself for six seconds before she burst into tears again. Great wracking sobs tore through her until she was struggling for breath. "You all right?" a concerned voice asked and she looked up to see the younger fair haired Ranger.

"Fine," Allanah said. "I'm just wonderful." Normally she would have mentally winced after that display of sarcasm but right now she didn't care. She had a bruise on her head and she figured that at least merited a little sarcasm.

"There was a murder last night," the Ranger said. "Whoever did it left a message."

"For Celtica and for the glory of Amherst," Allanah finished coldly. "Amherst is insane though what that says about me I'm not sure."

"Who is Amherst?" he asked and Allanah sighed.

"Amherst is one of Celtica's less mentally stable lords. A few months ago he killed Will, Jon and I's mother and father along with destroying part of the castle. We came here to get away from him," Allanah explained. "He would like nothing more than to kill us all." She closed her eyes and tried to block out her over moral subconscious that was warring with her fierce warrior side. Reconciling herself could take days but Ally knew from experience she didn't have days. No matter what Amherst was he wasn't a fool. He would know what had happened when his two assassins didn't return.

Allanah heard booted footsteps behind her and turned to see Ian stomping out, his breath making smoke in the unusually cool early morning air. "Ya comin ta help?" he asked and Allanah nodded, standing. She had met Ian first at a horse fair at Norgate fief. They had talked and she had warily agreed to help him take his horses to his camp knoing that what he had offered to pay her would help feed Will and Jon. Ian had mentioned off hand that he spent most of his time at Redmont and when Allanah, Will, and Jon had arrived there she had looked him up. It had turned out to be a good thing until now. The illusion she had created was splintering apart now even if she left the pieces behind someone would find out soon enough. With a rueful sigh Allanah hurried to catch up with Ian, hoping that a days work could take her mind off things.

Gilan watched Allanah leave with a critical eye. She moved softly and knew how to handle herself in a fight. She was good with horses, determined, and definitely secretive. He decided that she would make a good Ranger if they hadn't met under these conditions. His mind turned then to the problem at hand. Everyone in Araluen had heard of Amherst. The power hungry man in his mid-forties had threatened Celtica ever since his father had died. Amherst had no known heirs but rumors flew around about his women along with tales of his charismatic speeches and his fighting ability. Twelve years ago he had united enough of Celtica to become a threat to Araluen but before Amherst could act some scandal involving him had surfaced and he was forced to back down. If Allanah was really telling the truth then Araluen could be facing more trouble than a couple of murders. Amherst was to be taken seriously even though, as Allanah said, he was completely insane. Gilan stood and went to find Halt. It was time that he and his old mentor started forming a plan of some sort before there was another killing.

Amherst, Lord of most of Celtica, was sitting the throne room of one of his favorite castles when the messenger came. "Someone to see you my lord," the steward announced and then ushered in the third of the three man crew he had sent out almost a month ago.

"You have returned," Amherst said. "I hope it is with good news."

The unfortunate messenger swallowed hard. Amherst was not an intimidating figure by any means. At forty his blonde hair was going ash grey and wrinkles had formed across his weathered face. As a young man he had been short an athletic but in his older age he had put on some weight and could be described as stocky if not slightly portly. His dark green eyes were the only mildly frightening feature about him but only when they were black with anger as they were now. "No my lord," the messenger confessed nervously. "Your da..." He trailed off with a frightened squeak as the lord lifted him and slammed him against that wall.

"You made a mistake," the stocky lord almost crooned. "Do you know what it is?"

"Yes my lord," the man stammared out and Amherst dropped him.

"Continue your report then and make no more mistakes," Amherst ordered.

"Allanah killed the others," the messenger blurted out. Amherst turned on him with a snarl and the messenger spoke quickly in an attempt to save his life. "All reports say she's still in Redmont though. She feels safe there."

"Good," Amherst said. "Very good." He turned away to one of his guards, fingering the hilt of his elegant sword. "Kill him," he added, motioning to the whimpering messenger. Then he stalked contentedly out of his throne room ignoring the unfortunate messenger's desperate pleas.


	10. Chapter 9: Pandemonium

_Author's Note_: First thanks to _Hope and love_, _Dodo.123_, and _Luvergirlofbooks_ for reviewing the last chapter. Also congrats to _Dodo.123_ and _Luvergirlofbooks_ for getting the last chapter's song right ("Leave the Pieces" is by the Wreckers). Next I want to say congratulations to _Luvergirlofbooks_ for your correct thoughts on Allanah's heritage (for the rest of you who didn't think about it, it's confirmed in this chapter). Next to address _Luvergirlofbooks_ suspicion about Will I'm not going to tell you yet but there is a poll about it on my profile (or will be shortly). Finally sorry for the long time between updates and I don't own. Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>The next couple of days followed a rather chaotic but completely useable pattern. Everyone but Jonathan were up at six in the morning; Ian and Allanah to work with the unbroken horses, Meg to cook breakfast, Will to help in any way he could, and Halt and Gilan to investigate any new lead on where the murderers might have gone. Known only to Gilan, Halt, and Baron Arald was the fact that there were three sets of footprints and not only two. They had matched two to the two men Allanah had killed but the third was mysteriously missing.<p>

It was the evening of the third day that something came out that Allanah would have rather kept secret. It all started with a fire. Halt and Gilan were just returning to Meg and Ian's home when a soot covered boy raced by them, almost tripping over his own feet in his panic. "What's going on?" Gilan called after him.

The boy didn't pause but turned to yell over his shoulder, "There's a house on fire over that way." Gilan and Halt exchanged glances a moment before they started running. They saw the flames even before they reached Meg and Ian's home. They didn't see any of the inhabitants though. The two Rangers stopped at the edge of the yard and stared in horror at the fiery inferno in front of them. No one would live long enough in that blaze to survive. That was when the main door flew open and a sooty figure dashed out holding a child and dragging another behind her. Allanah collapsed a few feet away from the blazing house coughing. The two didn't hesitate to rush over.

Will glanced up when they were only a few feet away, coughing violently and brushing soot out of his hair. "Anyone else alive?" Gilan asked but Will shook his head and began to cry. Jon let out a weak cough and began to choke. Allanah let out a wounded cry as the color began to fade from her youngest sibling's face. Jon drew in one more rattling breath but never let it out. He convulsed once and then fell limp in her arms.

Allanah shook him once and then began to sob quietly as Will looked on with wide eyes. Will then turned to the two Ranger's with a look of rage on his pale face. "They started the fire on purpose," he said, voice shaking with anger and hurt. "They wanted us to die."

"Meg and Ian?" Gilan asked, feeling disbelief but Will shook his head before the Ranger could ask more.

"Two of Amherst's men," Will said coldly.

"We'll bring this matter before the other Rangers at the Gathering," Halt said. "I'm beginning to think this might endanger more than just Redmont."

The fire brigade had arrived by then and the yard had erupted in pandemonium. In the noise and chaos of the attempt to put out the blazing house none of them noticed the figure creeping away into the black night and in the hurry to save Meg and Ian none of them cared.

"They are dead my lord," the man proclaimed confidently from his position kneeling at Amherst's feet.

"Rise and tell me how you know," the lord commanded.

"I watched and saw no one leave the blazing building alive," the man proclaimed arrogantly. He had completed the task that none of the others had dared to try. He had killed the girl and both boys in one fatal and untraceable stroke. His joyful inner proclamations were cut off by the chill of a cold voice.

"You lie. I was told by other sources that a boy and Allanah survived," Amherst said. Before the unfortunate man could protest Amherst made a motion and a sword appeared through the man's chest. He had only time to stare at the bloody blade in shock before he slid foreword off it, falling dead on the ground. "Well done my son," Amherst said, turning to leave. "You leave tonight. Kill your sister and you will be rewarded. Fail and I will kill you like any other."

Amherst had no doubt that Keaton would succeed. He was a strong young warrior much like Amherst had been and he was fueled by hate. His bastard daughter stood no chance against his favored son.

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><p><em>And before you shoot me I'm sorry about Jonathan but he had to die. It was necessary for the progression of the story. Review and check out the poll~SunlightOnTheWater<em>


	11. Chapter 10: Tied Together With A Smile

_Author's Note:_ First thanks to _Dodo.123_, _Hope and love_, _SpiderSpinner_, and _ShadowCyrse_ for reviewing and thanks for all who read for being patient with me while I struggled to write this chapter. Also thanks to _Dodo.123_ for posing an excellent question that will be answered...but not yet. Second last chapter's title was "Pandemonium" from the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (because I'm sort of a theatre geek). This time's should be a little easier to guess. Finally don't forget to look at the poll on my page (it is actually on my page, my bad if you checked earlier and it wasn't!) and I don't own. Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>The next day it hurt to even breathe. Allanah had spent the rest of the night puking ash out of her stomach and so had Will but while he was sleeping peacefully now Allanah was still wide awake and riddled with guilt. She had gotten Meg, Ian, and Jon killed; innocents who didn't deserve their violent fate. She shook her head and crept to the window. She needed to get her, Will, and Jon's old things from their hiding place in the woods. Her eyes prickled with tears at the thought of Jon but she pushed them away. Now was not the time to mourn. It seemed that she and Will would need some of their old clothes anyway.<p>

Ally slipped out the window and slid down the slope of the roof before jumping to hit the ground. She was glad that the Ranger's cabin was in the middle of the woods; it shortened her walk considerably. She trekked through woods still damp was the morning's rain and pushed aside ferns. Her skirt was soaked at the hem by the time she reached the hiding place near the river but she felt numb. Ally pulled the bags, three of them, and turned but was confronted by her reflection in the river. She stood there, entranced and trapped by guilt as well as her own reflection.

Her blonde hair fell in wild tangles around her face which was covered in soot from last night but streaked with tears. Allanah knelt next to the stream and washed the soot off her face and out of her wild hair, thinking hard. Last time she had been here it had been with Jon and Will. Both of them had been feeling a little helpless and that was when she had made a promise she had thought she would regret. She had told them that no matter what she would see them where they wanted to be in life and would end this business once and for all. The once reluctant promise now burned in her mind and stood out as the one thing left to cling to. She knew now she was going to see it through no matter what.

The cracking of a branch behind her in the woods startled Ally out of her thoughts. Ordinarily she would have suspected a deer but the branch breaking had sounded pointed somehow. Her mind calculated quickly and pushed away thoughts of Amherst's men. Even if they rushed they couldn't get here in this short an amount of time. Not even Keaton could. Allanah shivered at the thought of her half brother and pushed him out of her mind. That would be another problem for another day. She stood and turned around slowly to face whoever was behind her.

She slightly surprised to see the younger of the two Rangers, Gilan at least according to his introduction, leaning against a tree casually watching her. "I didn't notice anyone following me," she said, slightly miffed at her obliviousness.

Gilan shrugged with an easy grin. "You're good but you aren't that good." When Allanah still looked irritated he added, "We all have our skills. Mine is unseen movement." A thin smile slipped onto Ally's face as she considered what he had told her. Still none of that was any reason to follow her.

"That still doesn't explain why you were following me," she said coolly.

"We thought it was a good idea, Halt and I," Gilan said, almost awkwardly. Allanah caught on to what he was implying almost immediately.

"You thought I'd run off and leave you two with no answers," she snapped indignantly.

"Well you would, wouldn't you?" Gilan half said, half asked. Ally had to fight to keep a smile off her face at his way of telling her what they knew.

"Not without Will," she told him but she was grinning so the sharpness of her tone was ruined. "I'd never leave without him," she added more solemnly.

"Good," Gilan said, easy grin back. "Now that that's settled how about we head back to Halt's cabin. We do have to get ready to get to the Gathering on time." Ally nodded and shouldered the bags, still light and ready to travel at a moment's notice though Allanah had decided she was tired of running. She was going to do her best to end this; for Jonathan.


	12. 11:For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic

_Author's Note:_ First as you all know by now Ranger's Apprentice and everything that you recognize it does not belong to me. Secondly I apologize both for length of time between updates and the length of this update. I'll try to bring the next one out as soon as possible. Now on to other matters. First congratulations goes to _Dodo.123_ for guessing the artist correctly for chapter 10 (Tied Together With A Smile is by Taylor Swift). Also thank you to _Raider1472_, _Hope and love_, _Oni11893_, _Dodo.123_, and _Luvergirlofbooks_ for their reviews. Also _Luvergirlofbooks_ you can send your opinion via review for the poll if you want. The rest of you remember to vote! Now I'll go before my author's note threatens to be longer than my update. Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

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><p>Even though Allanah knew things could go bad quickly when she started telling her story that night she felt fairly optimistic. That was until they arrived. Will had been quiet that day but that was to be expected. After all he had just lost his little brother. Allanah fished in her bag and pulled out the heavy signet ring on it's silver chain so similar to the one she wore on a leather band around her neck. Unlike her's though Will's wasn't stolen. He had been the true child and heir of his father.<p>

They had made it three steps into the camp when Ally saw an eerily familiar face. "Eiji," she whispered and almost as if the dark haired woman had heard Ally she looked up. It was Eiji. Allanah met the eyes of her one time teacher and a smile slipped on to her face.

"Is that?" Will whispered, sounding stunned.

"Yes," Allanah confirmed. "You stay here. She and I have to talk." Then Allanah slipped over to Eiji's side like a silent shadow.

"I know," Eiji said. "We need to talk. Come with me." Allanah followed Eiji into a tent where the older woman sat on a cot. "Where have you been? Everyone who knows you or Will or Jonathan is looking for you." Then she focused on Allanah's face. "Where is Jonathan?"

"Dead," Ally confessed. "He died in a fire. Eiji what are we going to do?"

"Have you told anyone that you're Amherst's daughter?" Eiji asked.

"No," Allanah said. "I didn't want anyone to know." Ally fingered the ring around her neck and sighed. "Is that your advice?"

"Yes it is," Eiji told the young woman. "If you want help you need to tell the truth and all of it." Allanah sighed heavily. Suddenly this didn't seem as good an idea as she thought. How was she going to get the entire story out without messing something up?

"I need to think," Allanah said an ducked out of the tent by the back way and into the woods. She crouched next to a stream again and looked at her reflection. Her eyes stared accusingly back at her as she tried to find something in her that was worthy of leading. It took a moment but she found it in the determined set of her eyes and in the thought that Will was counting on her. She couldn't let him down anymore.


	13. Chapter 12: Stand

_Author's Note: _I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I don't know what to say except I (oops!) forgot this story for a bit *ducks behind a rock and peeks out with an embarrassed look*. I am so sorry! Thanks to _Raider1472_ (not really, she's been mentioned a time though), _Dodo.123_ (you were right!), _morningglory0509_ (Thanks for letting me know and holler if you notice it getting worse or if something doesn't make sense!), and _Hope and love_ for reviewing the last chapter! "For a Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic" is by Paramore. I own nothing but my OCs

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><p>Allanah walked back into Eiji's tent, her mind made up. Eiji took one look at the young woman's face and said, "That's what I suspected." The dark haired woman dug in one of her bags and then threw and tangle of dark cloth at Allanah. The blonde caught it, mint green eyes widening with surprise as she unfolded the bundle. It was a sleeveless dress that was black with ruby red down the sides that glimmered slightly in the dim light. "Get dressed," Eiji said, turning her back. "We'll take care of your hair next. We might as well make you look like the real thing."<p>

Allanah dressed quickly, relishing the feel of the material on her skin. "I'm ready," she said and Eiji turned around. The dark haired woman took the time to braid her young charge's hair in slim braids, weaving a couple red tail hawk feathers in at the ends of a few braids. Dressed like this Allanah felt like a real lady, much richer than she had ever been, even before.

"Now you're ready," Eiji said with an approving smile. "And not a moment too soon." Sure enough when Eiji lifted the tent flap for Ally to step out the sky had turned to dark blue velvet and a messenger was there to bring her to the central campfire.

She noticed the widening of eyes as she stepped into the firelight and Eiji sat down nearby, her eyes ever watchful. "If you wouldn't mind stating your name," an older man said. He was sitting across the fire from her and his eyes were unimpressed.

"Allanah, daughter of Lady Selene," Allanah said calmly. As a bastard child she had no right to name a father but she knew who he was. It was one of the reasons Jonathan had looked so much like her. Expressions became thoughtful at her calm statement and there was a low murmur for a moment before it silenced.

"And why would you be in Araluen, Allanah?" the man asked.

"It's a rather long story but I'll tell it if you're willing to listen," she replied easily, her court mannerisms and calm facade coming back as easily as if she had never lost them. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Will grin and knew he was trying not to laugh.

"Please do," the man said and Allanah let a bit of a smirk form on her face as she composed her thoughts. They were expecting some straight forward tale and not the complicated story she was about to tell.

"To properly explain things I have to go back a while," Allanah said easily. "My mother was the late Selene of Argon, a fortified castle and surrounding province in the middle of Celtica and her husband was the late Lord Haelan but if you have not guessed so yourselves he is not my father. I was born within the third month of their marriage, for they married late, and it was obvious that Haelan was not the father. Rather than take the shame on his household he demanded that I either be sent to my true father or abandoned somewhere. My mother pleaded with my father and he eventually agreed to take me in."

Will's face was solemn now and so was Eiji's. Allanah's history was nothing to be joked around with nor anything she would wish on anyone else. "So I spent my first eight years living in the home of my father who you know as Amherst. It was obvious he cared not for me so I learned to live on my own and avoid his son, Keaton, who hated me with a passion. Somehow Selene learned of how I was treated and convinced her husband to call for me. I had already learned a great deal of fighting skill by then from Eiji and I served as a sort of undercover protector for their two sons; William and Jonathan whom I have always treated as brothers."

Allanah swallowed hard and ran her eyes around the crowd for a moment before continuing. "Unfortunately Amherst was not pleased with Haelan already and me being removed from his custody in a rather public way was the last straw. He attacked Argon at night and killed most everyone there. I managed to escape with Will and Jon because it was night and because I had made it my business to know all of the secret passages of the castle. Amherst found out somehow that we were not dead and has been tracking us ever since. I mean nothing in the scheme of things but I intend to see Will in his rightful place because if Amherst kills Will Argon is his."

"Why does that matter?" another man asked to the left of Allanah's original questioner.

"I do not know if you are aware of this but Amherst is the second most powerful man in Celtica. If Argon falls to him Amherst will have enough power and forces to remove the king from Celtica's throne and take over. Ordinarily this would not affect anyone else but Amherst is power hungry enough to want to expand his lands and he will turn to Araluen," Allanah said grimly.

"So what exactly are you suggesting?" Halt asked in a tone that was almost mild for him.

"For you? Nothing," Allanah replied. "I simply tell you this to make you aware of what is going on."

"You may go," Allanah's first questioner told her. "We have things to discuss before we see you again." Allanah inclined her head slightly and then sweapt away from the group, the skirt of her dress hissing slightly on the ground and relief welling in her chest.


	14. Chapter 13: Storm Warning

_Author's Note: _Thanks to _Dodo.123_ and _Hope and love_ for reviewing the last chapter! Congratulations to _Dodo.123_ for guessing the artist correctly! "Stand" is by Rascal Flatts. Enjoy and I own nothing you recognize from Ranger's Apprentice

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><p>Unfortunately nothing in this world goes smoothly. Therefore it figured that something would go wrong in the next twenty-four hours and go wrong dramatically. As the Rangers discussed what Allanah had told them Ally herself was wandering around the edge of the camp while Will slept and Eiji clarified any points Allanah had made confusing. The sun was rising over the sky and Allanah had just turned to return to Will when she heard the crack of a breaking branch. She hesitated and then headed toward the sound.<p>

After the meeting with the Rangers she had changed back into more practical clothing and buckled on a couple of her knives. Now it looked as if she was going to need them. She walked carefully through the woods, mindful of loose twigs or cracking rocks that would give away her prescence. She wasn't the best as soundless movement but that didn't mean she couldn't go mostly unheard if she needed too. Above her the sun began to dim slightly as clouds that had gathered the night before began to creep toward the camp and distant thunder rumbled.

Another crack echoed behind her and Allanah whirled around her, eyes searching for the source of the sound. Of course it couldn't be that easy. She saw no one but the prickling feeling at the back of her neck said she was being watched. Another crack echoed slightly farther away and to her left. Allanah didn't move, experiencing the eerie feeling of someone attempting to herd her. There was only one person she knew that would attempt to do that to someone who had learned tracking a long time ago. "Come out Keaton." Her voice was soft and angry and it carried easily on the now whooshing wind.

He obliged moments later and Allanah studied him carefully. Keaton had the blonde hair that had helped highlight Amherst's good looks when their father was younger. His eyes were pure ice blue and a smirk curled on his lips, ruining his well chiseled classic looks. He was broad shouldered and the sword he carried was held easily in one hand. His muscles rippled beneath his brown clothing but other than adding a few inches on in height Keaton was much as she remembered him. "Father sent you?" she questioned in an off-hand tone, already knowing the answer.

"Of course." Keaton's voice echoed inside the next rumble of thunder like a human echo of the powerful sound. That too had changed not at all.

"No use beating around the bush then," Allanah said with a shrug, her right hand brushing one of her knives. Keaton shifted as she yanked the knife out and dodged to the left. His sword cleaved a deep furrow in the tree she had been standing in front of her. Allanah cursed softly under her breath, a word she would never use near Will. Keaton had definitely gotten better and provoking his temper now would be a death sentence.

Keaton was turning on her when a voice called Allanah's name. If it was Will the two would have simply ignored it but the voice was much too gruff to be anyone but one of the Rangers, Halt to be specific. Keaton hesitated and Allanah used that hesitation to her advantage. She threw the knife in her hand and then ran, not pausing to see if it hit its target. A few feet from the clearing where the Ranger camp was housed she slowed to a walk, a few fat raindrops tapping on her face and arms. She knew Keaton was only a hint of what was coming; only a warning preluding the torrent of troubles that were to come. With that thought in her mind she stepped out of the woods with a heavy heart.


	15. Author's Note

Hey Everyone,

First off I owe you all an apology. You've been waiting since last year for an update on this story (very patiently I might add) and there hasn't been one. I am very sorry for leaving you all hanging like that. Now I owe you an explanation.

I've written a lot since a year ago and worked one improving my writing. I can't say I'm an expert but I can hopefully claim to be a better writer than when I began this story. That being said I'm having trouble writing more of this story in its current state. Unfortunately for all of you that means I am going to discontinue this and repost it (revised) under a new title. I also apologize for this because it means you have to wait longer for any new material. Hopefully the wait will be worth it though.

I hope to repost at least the Prelude tonight and I will post a message on this story to let you know when it is posted. Thank you for your time and patience.

SunlightOnTheWater


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